Black Widow
by Lift the Wings
Summary: Millie Evans, the black widow of Rose Creek, has just as much at stake when Bartholomew Bogue threatens the town as the rest of the townsfolk. Though they consider her a pariah, she will fight along side them to save her home and protect her daughter at all costs. What she didn't expect was a hard-drinking gambler to stand at her side with a cocky grin and a loaded gun. Faraday/OC
1. Prologue

Hi everyone! I really wanted to do a Faraday/OC story; I've seen Magnificent Seven twice already and want to see it again. No regrets! I hope you all enjoy!

Prologue

The sun rose, high and hot, over the mountains just east of the small, sleepy town. Already the loud, echoing blasts resounded through the dusty streets from the mines several miles away.

I rolled onto my back on my thick, plush mattress and exhaled heavily, rubbing the sleep from my warm, hazel eyes. The candle beside my bed burned low and bright beams of sunlight slipped through the window beside my bed. It filled the room and warmed my skin, causing a soft smile to stretch across my face.

It would be a beautiful day in Rose Creek, though I wasn't certain how much of it I would actually get to enjoy. There was a gathering in the church, where we would discuss the ever-growing problem that was Bartholomew Bogue; what it would solve, I couldn't be sure, but I knew I needed to be there.

As one of the wealthier citizens in town, I was expected to attend, despite my misgivings. Going into town meant mingling with the other townsfolk.

Which was always a treat, by God. I was the town pariah, the seductress, the murderous witch. The names varied, but certainly kept the sharp sting with every new moniker. It didn't hurt so much anymore, their hatred, but I saw red when they turned those hurtful names toward my daughter.

Rolling onto my side, I stared at the slumbering form curled into a tight ball beside me. The tiny five-year-old was burrowed beneath the sheets, a string of drool trailing from her mouth and into a spreading stain on the pillow. Her wild blonde locks were everywhere, an untameable rat's nest that I could barely get a brush through on the best of days. Her cherubic cheeks were flushed and I ran a finger lovingly across one, staring adoringly at her.

"Daisy," I whispered, pressing a kiss to her soft, warm forehead, "Daisy, love, wake up."

"No, Mama," she protested sluggishly, kicking out her legs and disturbing the wooly sheepdog at the end of the bed. Jax's head rose, his tail wagging slightly, before he flung himself onto his side and stared at the pair of us. Daisy wiggled closer to me, burrowing into my side and continued, "Don't wanna."

"But we've got places to be today," I replied, brushing the hair from her azure eyes as they cracked open and peered blearily up at me, "and, you smell that? I think Beth is making bacon. Your favorite."

Daisy hummed, somewhat rousted by the scent of meat frying from the floor below. Still, she didn't make to leave the bed, tucking her face into the crook of my neck and sighing noisily, "I was havin' a good dream, Mama, but I can't 'member it. Jax was there, I think, an' you. An' a man on a horse. But I don't know what else"

"Well, maybe some eggs will jog your memory," I teased lightly, "c'mon, we have to get up and go."

"Go where?" she queried curiously, sleepily, "we never go anywhere."

 _Because they're all so cruel to you_ , I thought sadly, stroking her hair, _I could take you away from here. I should. We could start anew; I could say your father died in a mining accident… They would never know what happened, not like these people here…_

"I know, but we must today," I stated, flinging the covers from our bodies and climbing out of bed. Smoothing out the wrinkles of my nightgown, I turned to my daughter and fisted my hands on my hips, cocking one out playfully. "You gonna make me drag you, Daisy?"

She sat up against my pillow, staring out at me from under a mass of curls, and sighed resignedly, "You're gonna hafta, Mama; I'm too cozy."

With a laugh, I ran back at the bed, scooping her up in my arms and swinging her around. She giggled wildly, clinging to me with both arms and legs, tossing her head back in utter joy. Jax leapt from the bed, dancing about in circles and barking excitedly.

I laughed, despite wishing we could stay that way, right there in that moment. Away from the other townspeople and their harsh words. The two of us, and Jax, hidden away forever, just us.

"Ms. Millie, breakfast's ready!"

But we couldn't. We had to face the day, face reality, and confer with the rest of the town about the risk Bogue posed.

"C'mon, Daisy, let's eat," I grinned, pecking her cheek noisily and dashing from the room, galloping like a horse and earning another round of wild giggles, "come, Jax!"

Down the stairs we went, the dog hounding my steps, and were met with the comforting sight of little old Beth puttering around the well-furnished kitchen. She was dishing a heaping helping of scrambled eggs onto each place but stopped and set the frying pan down in order to scoop up Daisy in her arms. The aging woman was like the little girl's grandmother, doting on her almost as much as I did.

As my daughter struggled to recall her dream to our only housemaid, I finished serving the three of us and sat down at the head of the table. Tossing Jax a slice of bacon, I pressed my mouth to my lips and grinned as he practically inhaled it. Beth, still cooing over Daisy's fragmented dream, set her down in the seat beside me, struggling to tame her hair, and then settled into the chair on my other side.

"Ms. Millie, how did you sleep?" she queried softly, resting a weathered hand atop my own and giving me a concerned onceover. She was always fretting over my well-being, though if there was a day she didn't, it would be the day she died. "Are you ready for this morning? What will you say to them?"

"Nothing, unless I have to," I replied with a light shrug, tossing my long, blonde braid over my shoulder and reaching for her hand and Daisy's, "I wouldn't go unless Bogue's plans didn't involve me, as well. Daisy, love, will you say grace this morning?"

She nodded eagerly, shifting the bacon in her mouth to one side and screwing her eyes shut, "Lord, bless our food and bless Mama and bless Miss Beth and bless me, if you could. And bless all the people and the aminals and the sky and trees and the house and Jax. Amen."

"Amen," I grinned, squeezing her hand softly and digging into my meal.

/

Daisy walked at my side, her hand in mine, as we made our way into town. Beth assured us she could fix up the wagon easily enough, but she wasn't the spring chicken she thought she was and I refused to use the contraption until we found ourselves a real stablehand.

My daughter chattered away at my side, oblivious to the growing anxiety that built within me as we neared the church. Of course, we went every Sunday, but this was not for service.

Before the doors of the large, white chapel, I knelt before Daisy and took her face in my hands, "Alright, love, remember; you must be quiet. The grown-ups are going to be talking and some might start yelling, but just stay silent. If they say anything about me-"

"I don't like when they do, Mama," she whimpered, dipping her head and sniffling.

Cupping her chin, I lifted her face and met her gaze, "Neither do I, love, but I ignore them. They are wrong and not worth our time when they say such things. I don't listen to them. You mustn't either. Understand?"

"Yes, Mama," she nodded, wrapping her fists in her little paisley gown and wringing them slightly. She didn't like it anymore than I did, but she would listen.

Inhaling sharply, I rose to my feet, squared my shoulders, and opened the doors. Some turned to see who entered and, based on their varying reactions - surprise, disgust, disapproval - others did as well. Some shook their heads while one muttered about my presence in a church being despicable, but the preacher offered me a warm smile and so did Matthew and Emma Cullen.

Slipping swiftly into the pew behind them, I offered a forced smile to the redhead before me as she took my hand and squeezed it. Her husband grinned politely and inclined his head, "I'm glad you could come, Ms. Millie. You, too, Miss Daisy."

Some of the tension coiling tightly in my shoulders loosened and my smile tentatively became more genuine. Though most ignored my request, the Cullens never failed to call me by Ms. Millie rather than Mrs. Evans. It made me uncomfortable and usually led to accusations and curses when the name Evans was brought up.

"We're ready to begin, I think," the preacher mused, rising to the pulpit and inclining his head to the congregation, "we must discuss the menace that Bartholomew Bogue has become. Too many have left already and those that remain will be forced from their homes if we let him have his way. We must remain strong, steadfast, as the Lord would want, and maintain the sanctity of our homes and our town. We cannot give in."

Immediately, a murmur rose from the congregation, both of dissent and agreement. Matthew nodded slightly in front of me and Daisy tugged at the lavender sleeve of my gown, "Mama, who's Bar-molo-few Bogue?"

"He's a very bad man, love, and we want to stop him."

"But how?"

"Yeah, how, Black Widow?"

A few snickered, but I simply shot the small, greasy man a withering look and curled my lip. Not a very original name, but Jamison Masterson wasn't known for his brilliance.

"Jamison, enough," the preacher chided sharply, "Ms. Millie has as much right to be here as you; she owns land in Rose Creek, same as the rest of us."

"Only got it cuz she murdered-"

"Enough!" Matthew growled, rising to his feet, "we're here to discuss Bogue, not Ms. Millie. Certainly not in front of her daughter, Masterson."

"'Bout time the girl knew-"

"You can follow in his footsteps, Jamison," I warned him lightly, lifting a cool brow and watching him pale with a sick sense of satisfaction, "keep speaking, please."

"Ms. Millie." The preacher's tone was far gentler than with Jamison, though it should've been stronger, given that I threatened a man's life in a house of God. But he knew why I had- They all knew, but they refused to see the truth for what it was. If-

The door burst open suddenly behind me, sending the lot of us jumping and turning. Men stormed into the church, armed with rifles and pistols, and my stomach churned. A skulking, sharply-dressed man stalked slowly into the room, scanning over us in disdain.

 _Bartholomew Bogue._

/

Please let me know what you all think! :)


	2. Chapter 1

Thank you so much for reading everyone! I'm glad you seem to be liking it! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Millie, Daisy, Beth, and Jax. That's it :(

Chapter One

 _The door burst open suddenly behind me, sending the lot of us jumping and turning. Men stormed into the church, armed with rifles and pistols, and my stomach churned. A skulking, sharply-dressed man stalked slowly into the room, scanning over us in disdain._

Bartholomew Bogue.

The congregation fell silent, a thick blanket of trepidation, of fear, falling over us all. Emma curled into Matthew's side, peering back at me with wide, frightened eyes. Drawing Daisy onto my lap, I drew my lower lip between my teeth and shushed her softly as she whimpered and whined, hands to her ears. My eyes never left Bogue, even when his disinterested blue gaze swept over me and my daughter; it was never smart to look away from a viper.

He stalked to the altar, rattling a dirty old jar as he went, waiting impatiently for the preacher to step aside; he inevitably did. Everyone did for Bartholomew Bogue. He stood behind the pulpit, hands resting on the Bible, his dead eyes running over every last one of us.

"I'm surprised to see you all here," he announced, his tone flat, if not loud, "last I knew it was not a Sunday and when do any of you obey the laws of your church when you're not obligated to?"

Some shifted uncomfortably in their seats; others sat stock-still, too scared to move for fear he would set his unruly men upon them.

"It's almost as though you all are… _plotting_ ," he accused softly, dangerously, tipping his chin and scowling down his nose at us, "against what, I don't know. Your Black Widow is involved in this gathering, so I know it doesn't concern her place in my little town. So… Preacher?"

The soft-spoken Irishman opened his mouth, before snapping it shut abruptly and dipping his head, "'Tisn't a plot, Mr. Bogue. It's a meeting. We gather regularly, that's all…"

"Lying in the house of God?" queried the businessman, condescension lacing his tone as he tutted, "my, my, not much of a preacher, now, are you?" He didn't wait for an answer from the flustered man, turning back to the rest of us and gesturing to the jar beside the Bible. "I'll forgive the your flagrant deception this one time. And do you know why? Because. Of. This."

All eyes fell on it, as though it were some unholy surprise, and I hugged Daisy even tighter to me.

"You, child," he called suddenly and, for a terrible moment, I thought he meant the tiny blonde in my arms; guilt swept through me at the relief I felt when I realized he summoned another child, a young boy, to his side. "Come. Stick your hand inside. It won't hurt you, I promise."

Promises from Bogue were nothing to write home about and my heart pounded as he grabbed the boy's wrist and growled, "You think you own this land. You don't. It's mine. I came to this dusty, stinking place and made it what it was. You would not _be here_ if it weren't for me. You would be in some squalid, derelict tenement in New York City, working for scraps in a workhouse. Your _children_ would be working in _factories_ , losing limbs and feeding the rats. But you're here. In my town. A far better life, were you to ask me. This- this in here, this is _life_. This is _power_. This is _God_. Would you deny your God?"

He released the boy's hand, ushering him to remove it from the jar. Silent and trembling, he did as he was told, releasing a handful of dirt across the ground and racing back to his father.

"I offer you twenty dollars for your land," Bogue stated, "nothing more. You have three weeks to decide, but believe me, if you decide in a manner I do not see fit, I will be most displeased. This is my only offer."

Without another word and ignorant of the uproar he had caused, he strode out of the church. His men began shooting off their pistols, their rifles, bellowing and yipping like wild beasts, and ushering us all from the sanctuary. I didn't need telling twice. Daisy wrapped her tiny legs around my waist and I pressed her head to my neck as I jogged quickly from the building. Matthew and Emma weren't far behind, his arms secured tightly around his wife's trembling frame.

Others followed, Preacher McAllister forcibly removed by several of Bogue's men. Though he protested, his words were gone unheeded, his body thrown to the ground and kicked into submission.

A tall man, blond and blue-eyed, who I knew as James McCann, waited at Bogue's side, eyes glued to his boss's face. When the robber baron nodded, he strode back toward the church, yanking a blazing torch from another one of Bogue's grizzled old fighters and lobbing it forcefully amongst the pews.

It didn't take long for the whole building to become engulfed in flames, the heartless men laughing as we stared on in horror. Though Daisy struggled to turn her face, to stare up at the sight that caused so much protest, so much amusement, I kept her firmly in place. I wouldn't allow her to witness such an abhorrent sight, not if it could be helped.

Matthew strayed from Emma and shoved away the men beating down the preacher. I caught his wife's arm, shaking my head hastily and muttering, "Don't get involved, Emma. Don't draw attention-"

But Matthew did that well enough on his own. After he was certain Preacher McAllister was steady on his feet, he rounded on Bogue, his blue eyes blazing with hatred, "What kind of man are you?! These people have done _nothing_ to you! Nothing at all!"

Bogue's shoulders rolled and I struggled to keep hold of Emma; her worried green gaze flicking from her husband to the man in black. The clearing fell silent, aside from the crackling of the growing blaze behind us. Bogue turned, stalking slowly toward Matthew, but the farmer held his ground, eyes hard and jaw set.

Without a word, Bogue unholstered a pistol from his hip, leveled it at Matthew's chest, and fired one, singular shot. He went down in an instant and chaos ensued.

Though I wanted to run, I knew the danger it posed; I released Emma, dropping to my knees. I doubled over, curling myself around Daisy's shrieking form and tried my best to silence her. I fell into as tight a ball as I could without hurting my daughter, eyes screwed shut as I waited desperately for the madness to end.

When it did, when I slowly drew myself onto my haunches, I stared in awe at the grisly scene around me. Matthew was sprawled on his back, eyes open wide and unblinking. Emma had thrown herself over his chest, sobbing and clinging to his bloodied shirt. Another woman, Annabelle Williams, had been killed, as well, and Thomas Adams, whose wife Melinda mourned over his fallen body, their newborn baby wailing in her arms.

But Bogue and his men were gone, kicking up dust as they disappeared from sight. How that man - or any of his followers - could murder these innocent townspeople in cold blood, could burn down the church, without a single ounce of remorse was mind-boggling. Though I couldn't say I _liked_ most of them, I knew them; I had even known some of them well, considered them friends once upon a time. To see them butchered in the street…

Shakily, I loosened my death-like grip on my daughter, attempting to drawing her away from my chest. She refused, though, and it took a great deal of coaxing for her to release her grip in kind. Positioning her away from the burning church did me no good; she turned in my hold, with bright watery eyes, and burst into tears.

Bringing her back to my chest, I hugged her tightly and rocked her gently in my arms, rising to my feet. Seeing the church was one thing; I refused to let her see the bodies littering the ground. I had done what I could to protect her from that once; I wouldn't let her see it now.

Staring helplessly at the carnage around me, I could do nothing to console Emma; in doing so would bring Daisy closer to Matthew, and that wouldn't do. And the others, they wouldn't accept any assistance from me anyway.

So, ensuring Daisy could see no more than the lilac fabric of my gown, I hastened away from the church, refusing to look back and praying none of Bogue's men were lingering to watch the bonfire they had created.

/

Racing across the field, I raced up to the massive, white farmhouse and shoved the door open with a shoulder. Beth was waiting, tears in her eyes, her gaze drifting over my shoulder to the plumes of black smoke rising from the church's steeple. I practically shoved my protesting daughter into her arms, running back down off the porch and around the house, screeching, "Lock the door!"

Shoving open the wooden gate of the corral, I called for Jax and, with the herding dog's help, urged the sheep and horses back into the barn. In a frenzy, I put them away as best I could, before grabbing the dog by his collar and nearly dragging him back to the house.

Covered in sweat and dirt, I slammed my back to the door and latched it quickly behind me. Chest heaving, I closed my eyes and allowed myself a moment to breathe before pushing away and trudging into the kitchen.

Beth sat at the head of the oaken table, rocking my daughter in her arms and shushing her gently. When I gathered up Daisy, the maid met my gaze and wiped a tear from her eye, "Are we safe, Ms. Millie?"

Nodding firmly, I pressed a kiss to Daisy's wet cheek and announced, "We are. We'll be fine. Daisy, love, you should sleep."

"I'm scared, Mama," she whimpered, pulling away from the crook of my neck and sniffling pitifully. Her cheeks were stained red, fat tears trailing from her damp lashes and onto my dress. Still, she yawned and wiped at her runny nose with the back of her hand. "I don't wanna. What if that man comes here?"

"He won't," I assured her gently, stroking her hair and walking her to the blue, brocade sofa in the wide, spacious living room, "sleep, love. I'll be here, and so will Beth."

"And Jax?" she queried softly, weakly. Hearing his name, the dog trotted into the room, hopping onto the sofa beside me and licking the tears from Daisy's face. She giggled softly before going limp in my arms, allowing me to settle her onto the plush cushions beside me.

The dog curled up beside her, protective as ever, resting his head atop her chest even as Beth entered the room and draped a lovely crocheted afghan over the pair of them.

"Ms. Millie-"

"Soon, Beth," I replied, staring down at my daughter and stroking her face with a finger. It didn't take long for my soothing ministrations to put her to sleep, her wide, red eyes drifting shut and a soft snore to escape her.

Rising to my feet, I gestured for the maid to follow me; she was hot on my heels, gathering her apron in her hands and wringing it nervously, "What happened out there? I heard gunfire and the church- oh my!"

"Bogue," I hissed, lip curling as I stalked toward the wide, open window and searching the fields for any sign of the man or his merry band of killers, "who else?"

"The gunshots?"

"Mrs. Williams. Mr. Adams. Matthew."

"Mr. Cullen?! You're sure?"

"I've seen dead men before, Beth, remember?" I queried rhetorically, pacing back into the living room, careful not to wake my slumbering daughter, and examined the dusty road at the bottom of the hill.

Ensuring that all three of them, not to mention my livestock, were safe was my top priority and, though that was done, I couldn't help but feel apprehensive, edgy, at the thought of Bogue's men approaching the house. They had obviously been given leave to do what they wanted; if they came for my cattle, or for my home, there was little I could do to stop them.

Except take them on.

And that wouldn't end well for me. Or Daisy and Beth.

"I- no, I remember that well, Ms. Millie," Beth sighed, a hand to her mouth in anxiousness as I returned to the kitchen and dropped myself into a chair with all the grace of a cow. She came as well, sitting herself beside me and rubbing a shoulder consolingly. "I just can't believe they killed him."

"I can," I retorted hotly, dropping my head to my hands, willing the image of Matthew's broken body from my mind, "Bogue is a monster. You know that. His men are no better, doing his dirty work like mindless animals. They killed a woman; what's to stop them from killing children, if they get the chance?"

"God help us if they ever do," she inhaled sharply, worrying her lip, "Miss Daisy-"

"Didn't see any of them," I sighed, rubbing my forehead and nodding as she muttered a grateful prayer, "just the church and it sickens me that she had to see even that. This can't go on, Beth. If-"

A knock sounded on the door and we both stiffened, my heart leaping to my throat. Though Beth latched onto an arm, hoping to keep me in my seat and pretend as though none of us were home, I yanked myself from her grasp and made for the foyer.

Retrieving a rifle from the ornate umbrella stand beside the door, I pressed my shoulder to the white-washed oak door and queried sharply, "Who is it?"

"Teddy Q, ma'am."

Teddy Q.

He wasn't a friend of mine, no, but he was of Emma's. Peering through the narrow window beside the door, I saw that he was alone, shifting nervously on my porch and raking a hand through his thick, light brown locks.

Taking a steadying breath, I yanked the door open, sure that the rifle was visible in my hand. He noticed it immediately, stepping back a pace and raising his hands, "I come in peace, ma'am. I'm not with Bogue, that bastard."

He made to spit at his name, but realized that would mean dirtying my steps and twisted his lips in disgust instead.

"I know," I replied easily, shouldering the rifle and quirking a dangerous brow, "that doesn't mean you're welcome here."

"I-ma'am-"

"I'm not an old lady," I growled suddenly, "it's Millie. Now what do you want?"

"Ma- Ms. Millie," he twisted his hat in his hands, "Ms. Emma sent me. She said you could help her. Help all of us, really."

"With what?" I queried, curious enough to drop the gun back into the umbrella stand, "Matthew's funeral expenses? He was a good man; I wouldn't-"

"No," he shook his head adamantly, nostrils flaring, "with takin' back the town from Bogue."

/

So no Faraday yet, but soon. I'm thinking within the next few chapters and I cannot wait!

Doctorwhoamypond: thank you! I'm glad you like it! :D

NoVacancyMind: me too! I really appreciate this! I can't wait to get into where she meets up with Faraday ;)

Whitelion69: thank you so much!

Lostfeather1: thank you! I agree; it was really good. I'm glad you like her!

Jesslynn7: aw I'm sorry. I agree, I didn't like that they killed most of them off :( But I'm glad you like this story and I hope you continue to!


	3. Chapter 2

AN: Sorry I haven't updated in a while! Life and whatnot :( I hope you're all still around and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I don't own Faraday or Chris Pratt, which, honestly, is super depressing. Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans! Hope you have a wonderful day!

Chapter Two

 _"Ma- Ms. Millie," he twisted his hat in his hands, "Ms. Emma sent me. She said you could help her. Help all of us, really."_

 _"With what?" I queried, curious enough to drop the gun back into the umbrella stand, "Matthew's funeral expenses? He was a good man; I wouldn't-"_

 _"No," he shook his head adamantly, nostrils flaring, "with takin' back the town from Bogue."_

It wasn't what I expected, no, and I slowly leaned the rifle inside the door, folding my arms over my chest as I silently appraised the young man before me. He seemed to be genuine in his goal and I jerked my head toward the inside of the house, unwilling to leave the sanctity of my home with the possibility of Bogue's men in the area.

Stepping back, I allowed him to enter, eyeing him warily as he removed his hat and dusted it off against his pant leg, staring about him in awe. I followed his gaze, disinterested; the grandeur of the house had gotten old quite quickly. Shutting the door, I gestured for him to follow me, a finger to my lips and a silent nod toward my slumbering daughter. Jax raised his head at the unexpected appearance of a strange man in his home, a low, rumbling growl escaping him, but a single snap of my fingers had him burrowing his face into the crook of Daisy's arm with a huff.

Teddy followed me as quietly as he could, gingerly settling himself at my polished table and shifting uncomfortably under Beth's hawkish glower. Clearing his throat, he announced in a whisper, "Ma'am, what- what do you think? Would you be willin' to help us out?"

"How?" I queried skeptically, "how could I help? I'm no fighter. I can't take on his men…"

Not that I couldn't kill a man; I had and I wouldn't hesitate to do so again if threatened, but I couldn't take on _all_ of them with any skill. Shoving the barrel of a rifle into a man's chest or under his chin was easy enough, I'd found, but to fire in rapid succession, hitting each target, when they were armed, as well?

"That's not what we mean, Ms. Emma an' I," Teddy rebuffed quickly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly, eyes darting nervously about as though his thoughts had fallen to my past, as well, "we were thinkin' more along the lines o' finding some men, trained fighters, killers, who could come an' help us take the town back. Bogue's men are here to stay, even if he ain't. They won't be leavin' any time soon, not after today."

Realization dawned on me and I quirked a brow, head tipping to the side and querying leadingly, "With my money?"

"I- it wasn't… we don't want it for _ourselves_ ," Teddy raised his hands in surrender, "but if we had enough-"

"I understand that; I get it. And I'll help you." His surprise drew a sardonic smile from me and I shook my head, "I'm not as heartless as they make me seem, Teddy. How do you plan on finding these men? You can't put an advertisement in the paper; Bogue's men will be keeping a strict eye on everything going on in this town from here on out. You'll have to go find them yourself."

"That's the plan, Ms. Millie," he nodded resolutely, rising to his feet and reaching for my hand, shaking it fervently, "we're gonna go find the best of the best; there're plenty o' towns around. There's gotta be men out there willin' to take up our cause."

"Hopefully," I agreed, following his lead and guiding him to the door, "I'll go to the bank this afternoon, get the money. Will you be going alone?"

He rolled his eyes affectionately and scoffed, "Ms. Emma's goin', too. We don't have time to waste and they're not lettin' us move the… the bodies for a few days. She don't wanna wait that long. And the preacher says he'll make sure nothin' happens to Matthew 'til we're back."

"Sounds like you were planning on going with or without my aid," I commented, opening the door and following him out onto the whitewashed porch.

"It woulda been a lot harder _without_ your help," he admitted sheepishly, worrying his hat between his hands, "we were gonna pool our resources, but- well your doin' us a great favor, Ms. Millie. We're in your debt."

I watched him go, drawing my lower lip between my teeth and chewing anxiously. The door behind me opened and I sighed, "Stay with Daisy, Beth. I need to go to the bank. Also… pack a few bags; we'll need them."

/

Several of Bogue's men milled about the streets, their weapons at their sides and drinks in their hands. Ignoring them as resolutely as I did the rest of the townsfolk, I strode toward the sprawling bank, head held high and eyes glued to the door.

"If it ain't Millie Evans!"

Jaw clenching, I felt my nostrils flare; though my steps never faltered, my heart thumped painfully in my chest. Eyes flitting to the left, I saw one of Bogue's scruffy men, whose name I never cared to learn, ambling toward me. His hand rested on his gun; though I doubted he meant it as a threat, I couldn't help but regard him warily.

"I'm sorry, Mr. ..."

"Well, you can just call me _Andy_ , honey," he smirked, his round, grimy face covered in sweat, "where you off to so intently?"

"The bank," I replied tersely, "I would've thought that was obvious, but clearly I overestimated you."

His jaw dropped, his face hastily turning an unflattering shade of purple, and I cursed my sharp tongue. He was one of _Bogue's men_ ; he was not to be trifled with, stupid as he was. Belatedly, I offered him a tight smile, pardoning myself and hastening up the steps and into the bank.

Tossing a disconcerted glance over my shoulder, I hurried up to the counter, drawing Mr. Marshall's attention and concern.

"Ms. Millie," he commented, peering over my shoulder as Andy huffed and puffed outside, "you're not bringin' any trouble in here, are you?"

 _Eventually, when Teddy and Emma find men to scare off Bogue's_ , I thought, plastering a reassuring smile on my face, "No, no. I'm just here to make a withdrawal."

He nodded, a rather disbelieving frown coloring his weathered face, but he made for a slip of paper and pen, "The usual?"

"Um, no," I replied softly, leaning over the counter and glancing hastily around for any eavesdroppers, "I'd like to make a… larger… withdrawal."

He nodded, brows pitching in question, "How much then?"

That, I wasn't sure of. I had plenty of money in the bank, more than I could possibly ever need, but Teddy and I hadn't spoken of an amount. He hadn't requested any sum in particular, leaving it up to me to contribute what I was willing to part with. But what would it cost to hire a man, men, an army to take on Bogue and his men? More than anything Emma and Teddy could come up with on their own. More than any other townsfolk would be willing to part with, I imagined.

"All of it."

Marshall's pen slid across the receipt he'd been writing, ink marring the once clean parchment as he stared up at me in surprise. His beady black eyes widened considerably and he gaped, " _All of it_?"

"Yes," I replied confidently, lifting an unconcerned shoulder, "I'm going on a trip and I don't know how much I'll need. I'll put back whatever I don't use."

"Well, you… you need to leave at least a dollar to keep your account open, Ms. Millie," he stuttered, retrieving a new receipt and hesitantly jotting down the amount, "that alright with you?"

"It's fine," I waved a flippant hand. What was a dollar compared to the sum I was taking from his safe? Hopefully it didn't cause him any financial troubles, but I assumed Bogue's men littering the town would make enough troubles for us all for my withdrawal to be too much of a problem. "And please, keep this between us for as long as you can."

"I intend to, Ms. Millie," he replied with a huff, "if the rest o' the folk find out the bank's losing over half its money…"

He continued to mutter to himself as he disappeared into the back, opening the massive safe and retreating from view to retrieve my goods. Turning my back to the counter, I approached the slatted windows, peering out into the street where Andy continued to bluster on about my insult. This time, though, he had gathered a few of his companions, who all grunted and grumbled in agreement, eyes casting dangerous scowls toward the bank.

I couldn't leave with as much money as I was about to receive; whether or not Marshall would keep his word, I didn't know, but I wanted Bogue's men in the dark for as long as I could keep them there.

Relief flooded me as I caught sight of Emma making her way toward the bank, presumably to gather her own money for our hero fund. She gave the men a withering glare as she wove around them, ignoring their biting, callous comments about me.

She entered the bank and I latched onto her arm, startling her as I dragged her away from the door and out of potential earshot.

"Emma, I need you to do me a favor," I whispered, glancing toward the safe where Marshall still grumbled and stuffed my money into a bag, "I need you to take my money with you. These men are looking for trouble and I don't want them to see how much I come out of here with. They'll know if they see. I told Marshall I'm going on a trip, so I'll have to go, but if they realize it's not for that…"

"I understand," she nodded, gathering me in a tight hug, "thank you for doin' this. It means the world to me. I- Matthew would thank you, too, I know."

"I know," I offered her a grimacing smile, "take it to your home; I'll come fetch it later. We'll discuss how much you can take with you and, of course, take what you need for Matthew's funeral."

She began to protest, but Marshall returned, hefting the bag onto the counter with a grunt. It was sizable, that was certain. Emma's eyes widened and I ignored her, making for the counter and asking for a separate, smaller bag, "Mr. Marshall, I implore you to keep this to yourself. Emma shall be taking this, with my permission, for the moment. See to it that this stays between us."

He nodded, lips pursed in agitation; honestly, I was his best customer, his own money source if truth be told, and he would do what he could to appease me.

Shoving some of the gold coins into the smaller velvet bag, I grinned at Emma and reminded her, "I'll be at your home in an hour if that suits you."

Wordlessly, she nodded and I strode from the bank, eyes falling onto Andy and his posse. Maintaining my most indifferent facade, I made to brush past them, but McCall grabbed my arm and queried sweetly, "Where ya goin', Ms. Millie? What took you so long in there?"

"I was making arrangements," I replied cautiously, renting my elbow from his grasp and smoothing out my dress, "I'll be away for a while; I just needed to withdraw what I needed and inform Mr. Marshall of my plan."

His narrowed blue eyes fell to the bag in my hand and without warning, he ripped it from my hold. Opening it despite my frustrated protests, he examined the contents, whistling lowly, "Long trip?

"It's a long way to New York, Mr. McCall," I retorted hotly, snatching the sack and holding it tightly to my chest, "now if you'll excuse me…"

Though Andy and his comrades hissed vile things, McCall plastered a warm, gentlemanly smile across his bearded face, "Can I escort you home, then? It must get awful lonesome up there at night. If you want-"

"Mr. McCall, _thank you_ for your _generous_ offer, but I'm perfectly content on my own," I nearly growled, hiking up my skirts and stalking down the dusty road. Though the others stayed back at a wave of his hand, he followed, his long legs closing the distance between us too quickly for my liking. "Really. I'm fine. Your presence isn't needed."

 _Or wanted._

McCall allowed a short laugh to escape his lips, twisting them into a wry grin before raising his hands in surrender, "Alright, alright. But remember what I said; my offer stands. I know you're gonna say yes soon enough."

My lip curled and I was grateful that my back was to him; if he had seen, I was certain he wouldn't have allowed me to leave. As it was, I hastily made my way to the farmhouse, jogging up the steps and calling for Beth. I winced, eyes flying to the couch, but Daisy was nowhere to be seen, the blanket discarded on the floor.

Fear struck me and I called for them both, praying that McCall hadn't sent anyone up to the house while I was distracted at the bank. Shoulders slumping, I threw my head back in relief as Beth called from the second floor, "Ms. Millie? We're up here!"

She came bustling down the wide, white steps, dusting off her apron and querying, "Did everything go well? Do you have the money?"

"Yes, but I ran into some of Bogue's men," I replied, reaching behind my head and undoing my falling bun, raking a hand through my thick hair, "I've told them all I'm going on a trip; that's why I needed the money. Emma has most of it now, but… to keep them from suspecting, I'm going to have to go. We will; Daisy and I. I'd appreciate it if you could stay; keep up appearances."

Beth sighed but smiled softly, "I figured you meant the two of you. You're all packed. I wasn't sure how long you would be gone, but there's enough in there for a few days at least. And don't worry about a thing, dear; I've got it all sorted here. Jax and I will watch the place."

Wrapping her in a tight, grateful hug, I pressed a kiss to her wrinkled cheek, "Thank you, Beth. Truly, you are my rock."

She swatted at me, eyes bright and wet, "Now, where will you go?"

/

Daisy questioned me the entire trip, bouncing excitedly in the seat beside me as the wagon rattled down the narrow way to Emma's home. Where were we going? Would we be going alone? How long would the trip take? Would we see bears? Buffalo?

I answered her as best I could, distractedly glancing over my shoulder a time or two; it wouldn't do to be seen approaching Emma's. If we were going away for a while, why would we need to stop and see the new widow?

Emma hurried from her modest home, brows furrowed in question, "So where _are_ you off to?"

Lifting my chin, I announced firmly, "Wherever you're going."

/

Okay, I promise Faraday will be in the next chapter! Which I'm suuuper excited for! Please review, let me know what you think!

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	4. Chapter 3

Hi all! Happy New Year! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review :D

Chapter Three

 _Daisy questioned me the entire trip, bouncing excitedly in the seat beside me as the wagon rattled down the narrow way to Emma's home. Where were we going? Would we be going alone? How long would the trip take? Would we see bears? Buffalo?_

 _I answered her as best I could, distractedly glancing over my shoulder a time or two; it wouldn't do to be seen approaching Emma's. If we were going away for a while, why would we need to stop and see the new widow?_

 _Emma hurried from her modest home, brows furrowed in question, "So where are you off to?"_

 _Lifting my chin, I announced firmly, "Wherever you're going."_

It didn't take long for us to get underway; Teddy was already at Emma's home, preparing her horse for their journey. She was grateful for the addition of the wagon, loading a bag of her own in the bed and perching herself beside Daisy. Teddy took his own horse and tied the reins of Emma's to his saddle.

The first stop on our woefully short list was the neighboring town of Eagleton. It wasn't an overly large settlement, not nearly the size of ours, but there would likely be plenty of men looking for work. The best places to look, I knew, were taverns, saloons, and even the sheriff's, though Daisy wouldn't be allowed in most of them.

I had known that when I brought her, but the thought of leaving without her was unimaginable. And nonsensical. It would have drawn suspicion without a doubt, leaving my most beloved daughter behind while I went on some trip. If Bogue knew, he would have certainly sent someone to my home to investigate. Leaving Beth behind had been difficult, yes, but to leave my home completely unoccupied would have had McCain and his company sniffing about in an instant.

"We can't thank you enough, Millie," Emma interrupted my worrisome thoughts as we entered the town, a grateful smile plastered across her pale face, "truly. With this money, we can hire triple the men we'd hoped. They'll take care of Bogue right quick."

"I hope so," I replied with a heavy sigh, glancing down at Daisy, who hummed to herself and played with the China doll on her lap, oblivious to our conversation, "they'll need to, else he's gonna bring triple the men we hire and destroy the town. We've got one chance at this. I just hope we can find enough good men willing to help us."

"We will," Emma vowed, nodding assuredly, muttering almost to herself, "we have to."

Maneuvering the wagon through the bustling streets, I peered about in contemplation, "There're two saloons up along the way. We can check there."

"And another on this side," Emma tipped her head toward the rowdy building, "and the sheriff at the end o' the street, by the church. Let's check with him, too. He might be willin' to come, too. Bogue can't have loyal men here."

Drawing the wagon to a halt, I watched Teddy dismount his horse and come round to help Emma from the wagon. He threw a thumb over his shoulder, "I'll check these ones out. Ms. Emma, you'll do the others?"

"Course," she agreed, rounding on me, "we'll be back soon. With men. I promise."

"We'll be here."

As the two of them parted ways, I drew Daisy onto my lap and smoothed her hair from her face, querying gently, "Are you hungry, love? When Emma and Teddy get back, we can go to the general store, find something to eat."

"I am, Mama, but where are they going?" she inquired curiously, her eyes wide and brow furrowed as she stared up at me, "why aren't we goin' with them? Shouldn't we go, too?"

"They'll be alright, Daisy," I answered, pinching her cheek and earning a giggle, before she sobered up once more, "But, Mama, what if that man and his friends are here? They hurt Mr. Matthew; they might hurt Ms. Emma. We hafta protect 'em!"

She pounded her little fist on her thigh, her chin lifted defiantly; I fought a grin at my feisty little girl, "They're not here. 'Specially not him. He lives in a big house with bad men far from here. We're alright."

"We're not doin' anything bad, are we, Mama?"

"Not at all, love," I squeezed her to me, resting my chin on the crown of her head, "we're doin' the very opposite. We're gonna stop the bad men from doing more bad things."

"How?" she asked perplexedly.

"We'll find good men, great men, that will help us."

/

Some excitement caught my attention at the saloon Teddy had gone to investigate. Pushing myself upright, I caught Daisy's hand and gathered the reins with my other. A quick flick of the wrist had my inky black stallion, Thunder, trotting hastily toward the commotion.

Men surrounded Teddy, shoving him and jeering, already neck deep in their drinks and ready for a fight.

"-we're not looking for any trouble here, boy!"

"We know what kinda mess you're in down in that sorry ol' town o' yours! Don't be thinkin' about bringin' that our way!"

"Bogue's a devil, Mister, an' we don't want none of his evil spreadin' here!"

"Gentlemen, please, do you really think anyone in their right mind would challenge Bartholomew Bogue?" I laughed derisively, shaking my head and hopping from the wagon. Stalking to Teddy's side, I tugged on his arm and rolled my eyes in aggravation. "My husband's been at the bottle again. Thinking he's some savior or somethin'. We don't want any trouble, either; 'specially not where our little girl is concerned. Think you can do me a favor and keep this to yourselves? It'd be mighty generous of you."

A few men grumbled their assent, while another warned, "He sobers up, you tell him to watch hisself. Bogue ain't no man to trifle with."

"I will, sir, thank you," I beamed, shoving Teddy into the wagon and giving the reins a sharp flick.

Once out of earshot of the now tamed crowd, I exhaled heavily and mused, "Maybe we shouldn't mention Bogue until we get them to join us."

"I didn't," Teddy huffed, tanking his hat from his head and raking a hand through his dampened locks , "ten of 'em said they'd join 'til I said his name. That man strikes the fear o' God into everyone, Ms. Millie."

"He does," I sighed, pulling the wagon around to wait for Emma at the sheriff's, "looks like we'll just have to go farther then. Where's the next closest town? Black Hills? Seven Springs?"

Lifting a shoulder, he grunted, "Black Hills, I think. Might be far enough we can find some fellas ain't afraid of Bogue."

"What we need is men to know it's Bogue they're facing and still be willing to take him on," I mused, peering down at my silent daughter and running a hand through her curls, "thanks for not ratting us out, love."

She regarded Teddy with a critical eye before shaking we head, "Not him, Mama."

Teddy stared at her as though he didn't know whether to chuckle or be embarrassed that he wasn't good enough for her mother. I, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh, "No? I'm sorry, Teddy, but it's not meant to be."

"No, I guess it's not," he agreed after a moment, shaking his head and releasing a huffing laugh, "it was quick thinkin', though, Ms. Millie. Did you study actin' or something? They didn't question you."

"No, I just learned that it's sometimes safer for people to hear what they want to hear to protect yourself and those you care about," I replied, my mind flashing briefly to the arguments, the lies, the pain. It had been an unbelievably hard time, one that most people didn't understand, and one that I was happy to be free of. Shaking my head, I mused lightly, "I wonder if Emma had any better luck."

But, judging by the furious glower on her face as she burst from the sheriff's office, I hummed with a tut, "Black Hills it is."

Teddy mounted his horse as Emma hauled herself into the wagon, grumbling angrily to herself and patting roughly at her skirts. Her green eyes blazed as she gestured wildly toward the road, "Let's get outta this snake pit. Ain't nobody gonna help us here. Thieves and scoundrels, all of 'em."

"They wanted more than what we was offerin'?" Teddy queried, aghast.

"Double," Emma agreed, holding her head in her hands, "an' a few other unmentionable things; these ain't the kind of men we wanna bring in our town."

"They'd likely side with Bogue before us," I groaned, flicking the reins and guiding Thunder away from the useless town, "even if we could double their pay, Bogue would just double that. If they're in it for the money, we can't use 'em. Teddy, which way is Black Hills?"

/

Black Hills was bigger than both Eagleton and Rose Creek combined. The town had a dozen saloons and even more brothels. I hadn't seen so many people in one place since I'd moved west and I couldn't help but be hopeful that we might find at least one man of value in the town.

"Where to find him," I hummed softly, drawing the wagon to a halt in front of the general store and turning to Emma, "I need to get Daisy somethin' to drink. Do you mind stayin' with our things? We shouldn't be long."

Emma shook her head with a smile and held Daisy's doll until I could set her down on the ground. Reaching back up for the doll, I panicked when Emma's face fell and she cried, "Daisy!"

Spinning on a heel, I cursed under my breath as my daughter dashed across the street, straight between the legs of a tall man in black, and into a damn'dable saloon.

Without hesitation, I darted after her, offering the man only the briefest of smiles as I brushed past him and into the smoky building. Frantic, I scoured through the haze from three dozen men's cigars for any sign of my daughter. The bartender was no help, eying the dark-skinned man at my back cautiously.

Chewing on the tip of my tongue, I straightened my shoulders and made my way further into the saloon. Before I could even say a word, a loud, deep voice called out, "Hey, lady, I think you mighta lost this."

To my right, at the far end of the room, I paled as I took stock of the scene before me. Daisy was at a table filled with rough, gambling men, sitting on the lap of a man with the widest smile I'd ever seen. He bounced her slightly on a knee, shifting his head to blow the smoke from his lungs away from her face. He had one hand on her back to balance her, the other holding a hand of cards in front of him. When Daisy made for the shot glass in front of him, he simply shoved it out of her reach and chided her gently, "Trust me, sweetie, you don't want any of that."

Crossing the room quickly, I fell into the empty seat beside the man and tugged Daisy from his grasp. He let her go easily, turning to a scantily-clad woman behind him and querying, "Couldja bring some water over? Two glasses. Thank ya, doll."

"You don't have to-"

"Faraday, get yer head in the game," one of the other men at the table grumbled, offering me an irritated sneer, "take the damn kid and go."

"Johnson, you wanna watch your mouth around the lady an' her girl?" Daisy's companion questioned. His tone was light, though there was an underlying threat in his voice that had the man's jaw clenching but his words dying on his tongue.

"It's alright," he informed me, shoving himself upright, resting his forearms on the table's edge. He appeared tall, nearly a head taller than me even while seated, with a scruffy, mahogany beard and warm, hazel eyes that were slowly appraising me. He removed the cigar from his mouth and snuffed it on the tabletop. "Name's Faraday. Joshua. This little lady introduced herself as Daisy before takin' a seat. Wasn't expectin' to see a li'l girl in here, but I sure as hell wasn't expectin' to see an angel."

Daisy giggled in my arms, turning and staring up at me with a brilliant smile.

Surprised by his boldness, I blinked rapidly, brows high on my forehead, feeling very much like a gaping fish. Collecting myself, I let out a disbelieving laugh and gestured to his drink, "How many of those you had, Mr. Faraday?"

He let out a loud laugh himself and tipped his head to one side in thought, "Too many, I'd say. I'm not hallucinatin', though, right?"

"Nope," I smiled, wrapping one arm around my daughter and extending the other toward him, "unless my entire life has been the figment of your imagination. Millie Evans."

"Trust me, Ms. Evans, if you were a figment of my imagination, I would not be meetin' you for the first time in some dingy saloon," he winked, accepting my hand and pressing a kiss to my knuckles.

"Call me Millie. Do I even want to know where we would've met?" I inquired with a grin, resting my chin atop Daisy's head and thanking the heavily-painted woman as she returned with two glasses of water. Ensuring the little blonde girl in my lap drank hers before I touched mine, I offered Mr. Faraday a challenging glance, to which he stared for a moment and then smirked, "Maybe. Can't say it in present company, though. She your daughter?"

"She is."

"Her daddy around?" he inquired, gaze flitting around the saloon curiously.

"No," I replied, "I'm actually here with a few friends of mine. We're lookin' for some help. We-"

The swinging doors of the saloon burst open suddenly and the man in black strode in, a hard look on his face and his dark eyes on the bartender.

/

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	5. Chapter 4

Hello all! I hope you're all still out there! Please read and review; I'd love to hear from you all!

Chapter Four

 _"Trust me, Ms. Evans, if you were a figment of my imagination, I would not be meetin' you for the first time in some dingy saloon," he winked, accepting my hand and pressing a kiss to my knuckles._

 _"Call me Millie. Do I even want to know where we would've met?" I inquired with a grin, resting my chin atop Daisy's head and thanking the heavily-painted woman as she returned with two glasses of water. Ensuring the little blonde girl in my lap drank hers before I touched mine, I offered Mr. Faraday a challenging glance, to which he stared for a moment and then smirked, "Maybe. Can't say it in present company, though. She your daughter?"_

 _"She is."_

 _"Her daddy around?" he inquired, gaze flitting around the saloon curiously._

 _"No," I replied, "I'm actually here with a few friends of mine. We're lookin' for some help. We-"_

 _The swinging doors of the saloon burst open suddenly and the man in black strode in, a hard look on his face and his dark eyes on the bartender._

Faraday immediately frowned, his hazel eyes drifting over to Daisy and I; straightening in his chair, he jerked his head backwards and muttered, "Get behind me. The two o' you."

Without a word, I slipped from my chair, ushering Daisy before me, and drew the pair of us low to the ground. I pressed my finger to my lips as I curled myself around my daughter and whispered, "Be real quiet, Daisy, hear me?"

"It's a game, sweetie," the man tossed over his shoulder, his tone gruff, mumbled, "if you're quiet as a mouse, quieter than all these other people, you get a prize, alright?"

Daisy's eyes brightened at the prospect and she burrowed deeper into my arms, determined not to make a peep. Faraday winked at me when I offered him a grateful smile, shifting his chair ever so slightly to keep the pair of us hidden.

Still, I managed to watch under his arm as the dark-skinned man leaned over the counter, whispering into the barkeep's ear. No one could hear a word he said, but the man grew tenser by the moment.

Others in the saloon drew their guns, one of Faraday's own companions following suite. I reached for the pistol hidden deep in the pocket of my gown, intent on defending my daughter if need be. The gambler protecting us both drew his own revolver, aiming it at the other man at the table and shaking his head.

Several gunshots rang out in quick succession and I wrapped myself tighter around Daisy. She didn't make a sound despite my own gasp and, when I determined that neither of us had been hit, I peered beneath Faraday's arm once more.

The newcomer had shot several of the patrons, though none of them suffered anything near a fatal wound. The same could not be said for the bartender. He was gone from sight, the man in black staring down over the counter, presumably at his body.

"You shot Dan!"

"Murderer!"

"He's a killer!"

"Go on, now, go get the sheriff," the man announced, raising his hands in surrender, "tell 'em I just killed a wanted man outta Nebraska. _Git!_ "

Everyone but Faraday, Daisy, and I fled the saloon, scrambling for safety and casting the man terrified glances. Faraday holstered his pistol, peering over his shoulder at the pair of us, "You two alright?"

Nodding, I chanced a smile before uncurling myself from around my daughter. She poked her head up, eyes wide and searching, before mouthing up at me, _Did I win?_

"You certainly did win, Daisy," I smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead and smoothing her hair from her face. Turning my attention to Faraday, I muttered, "We're fine. You think he might hurt us?"

Faraday hummed in thought before querying loudly, "Dan, you dead?"

There was no response, Dan the bartender having drawn his last breath; the other man turned his attention to us, eyes flitting curiously to me as I slowly rose to my feet.

Faraday sighed noisily, commenting disappointedly, "Pity; I had just ordered a drink from that man."

The man in black smirked, sliding the bottle of vodka and the small shot glass toward him, tipping his hat to me with a polite, "Ma'am."

Turning on a heel, he made for the doors, where it seemed a large crowd had formed on the other side. There were curses and screams and cries, calling for his man's blood. He raised his hands, pushing through the door, and announcing to the masses that he was a warrant officer and that Dan was known by another name, and had committed a handful of murders.

"You think you know someone," Faraday noted, pushing away from the table and sweeping his winnings into his hat. He turned to me, offering me a smirk, "Care for a drink? It's on, uh, _him_."

"I think I'm fine," I assured him, shaking my head and stifling a grin as he pouted, looking much like Daisy when she was in a foul mood. He turned to my daughter, ruffling her hair and querying, "You like candy, sweetie?"

She nodded fervently, peering up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. He mimicked her expression, though he turned it on me, and queried, "Well, Millie, darlin', if it's quite alright, I'd like to buy this little champion a piece of candy."

Daisy rounded on me, batting her lashes furiously; Faraday, catching sight of it, fluttered his own, clasping his hands beneath his chin, " _Please_?"

"How can I resist a pair of faces like that?" I inquired, gasping dramatically, pressing a hand to my chest, "well, I guess, if you must…"

"We must!" Daisy cheered, hugging him around a leg and then flinging herself into my arms, "thank you, Mama!"

"Of course, love," I kissed her curls and caught her hand, gesturing toward Faraday with a laugh, "lead the way, Mr. Faraday."

" _Joshua_ ," he stressed, offering an arm to me with a wink.

His boldness knew no bounds, but I found myself unable to mind _too_ much. Linking my arm through his, I drew my lip into my mouth and conceded, " _Joshua._ "

"Not too hard, was it?" he teased, guiding me toward the swinging double doors, latching onto the bottle the man had left behind on our way. He tipped it back, taking a quick swig, before pushing a door open and sweeping out his free arm, allowing me to pass.

I dipped into a quick curtsey, grinning, and led Daisy out. He followed, pointing out the general store and noting, "Now _that's_ where you find _the_ best candy in all the west. I'm tellin' ya, sweetie, it'll be the best thing you ever tasted."

Daisy squealed and jumped, tugging the pair of us along as she skipped toward the store.

"Why did you help that man?" I inquired curiously, peering over to where Emma had all but accosted the man in black. I grinned, hopeful that a man with his skill would be able to assist us in our fight against Bogue. With any luck, I could wrangle Joshua onto our lovely little team. "Seems like you knew Dan; you didn't know him. Why did you choose to protect him and not your friend?"

"Well, Dan wasn't my _friend_ , per se," he replied, his face twisting in a grimace, "in all honesty, I didn't like him much. And this fella, well, I dunno. Seemed like the sort of man who knew what he was doing. He had an aught against Dan, musta been for a good reason. And I was right; man like that doesn't deserve to live. Killin' innocent people, terrorizin' 'em."

"So you're a man of principle, then?" I inquired, "I'd say morals, but-"

"You'd still be right," he replied, feigning affrontedness before smirking dangerously, "mostly."

A flush rose to my cheeks, though I refused to turn from him, quirking a brow in response, "You-"

The harsh click of a safety being released caused the pair of us to still, though I stumbled forward as Daisy tried to tug me along, unaware of the danger. Peering to my left, I inhaled sharply, watching Joshua's eyes slide to a pair of grungy-looking men, their guns both aimed at the man at my side.

"Faraday, you stupid, stinkin' thief," one seethed, "I want that money you stole from me back in Jonesville! You cheated me, an' I'm gonna take back what's mine!"

His companion nodded, offering me a sleazy grin before noting lazily, "You might wanna take your girl and get. What's about ta happen ta this schemin' bastard ain't nothin' a lady an' a little girl should see. Go on, now."

"You can't-"

"Millie, you should go," Joshua replied, his tone firm, his gaze meeting mine. He winked, a charming smile falling onto his face. "Don't you worry; I can handle myself. But what's gonna happen ta _them_ … now, that really ain't somethin' you should see."

He slid his arm from mine, tipped his hat to me, and glanced down at Daisy, "You keep your mama comp'ny; I'll be back in a bit, alright? Then we'll get you that candy."

She nodded, eying the other men suspiciously as they shoved Faraday from sight. Heart in my throat, I glanced down at my perceptive daughter as she queried, "Mama, they're not gonna hurt him, are they?"

Rolling my shoulders, I slipped a hand into my pocket, fingers curling around the pistol, "No. Daisy, love, you see Emma right over there? Emma and Teddy? You go run to 'em. I'll be right back."

She glanced over her shoulder at our companions, who were still speaking adamantly to the man in black, chewing on her lip. Her eyes fell to the place where Joshua had disappeared before nodding silently to herself. "You go help him, Mama; I'll go to Ms. Emma."

Watching my daughter dash off down the dusty road, I made certain that Emma hauled her up into her arms, looking around curiously for me before hastening after Joshua and the men.

They hadn't gone out of sight, though they had moved quite a distance in the short time away from us. They stood near the entrance of a mine, Joshua's hands in the air, the men's guns trained on him. Hastening toward them, I slipped the gun from my pocket and knocked back the safety.

The gambler's eyes fell on me, widening fractionally, though he didn't say a word. He returned his attention to the other men while I crept closer, the gun steady at my side.

"Lemme show you boys a magic trick," he cajoled, slowly retrieving a deck of playing cards from his vest, "it's a good one. You won't wanna miss it."

They allowed it, though the one on my left was far more excited than his companion. Joshua coerced the other to pick a card, memorize it, and then replace it. With a few fancy maneuvers, he showed a card to the man, querying, "Was this your card?"

"Faraday, you stupid bastard, that ain't my card!"

"It's not?" He seemed surprised, examining it curiously, "Hang on, lemme-"

"We ain't got time for this!"

What was he even playing at? These men were going to kill him; if he-

"Hang on a second," he announced suddenly, "the trick's not over. Your card was the king of hearts, wasn't it?"

The men faltered a moment, sharing a look, before Joshua smirked, "It was never about the trick."

Without a word, he yanked a pistol from his belt and shot the man on my left; before his companion could draw on him again, I leveled my gun at his ankle and pulled the trigger. The man howled and crumpled to the ground, pleading for his life.

Joshua strode toward him, grabbing the gun from his hand and gathering the weapons from the other man's body.

"You killed my brother!"

My heart dropped to my stomach, but I jogged to Joshua's side, catching him arm as he grumbled, "He shouldn't'a touched my guns." He straightened, catching my chin with a finger and thumb, brow furrowed low over his eyes as he queried disconcertedly, "You alright?"

"I am," I replied shakily, pocketing my gun and twisting my fingers together, "they were gonna kill you."

"They were," he agreed, his gaze trailing over me appraisingly, "you were gonna save me."

"I think I mighta succeeded," I replied with a huff.

He glanced down at the mess of a man at his feet, brows high on his forehead. He offered me a sheepish smile and agreed, "I think you mighta. Sure I can't buy you a drink?"

/

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	6. Chapter 5

Hello all! I hope you like this chapter! I'm so excited to get deeper into the story and Millie's and Joshua's relationship! Please review!

Chapter Five

 _My heart dropped to my stomach, but I jogged to Joshua's side, catching him arm as he grumbled, "He shouldn't'a touched my guns." He straightened, catching my chin with a finger and thumb, brow furrowed low over his eyes as he queried disconcertedly, "You alright?"_

" _I am," I replied shakily, pocketing my gun and twisting my fingers together, "they were gonna kill you."_

" _They were," he agreed, his gaze trailing over me appraisingly, "you were gonna save me."_

" _I think I mighta succeeded," I replied with a huff._

 _He glanced down at the mess of a man at his feet, brows high on his forehead. He offered me a sheepish smile and agreed, "I think you mighta. Sure I can't buy you a drink?"_

"I owe you at least that," he continued, tilting his hat back and wiping the sweat from his forehead, "and my life. It's yours to do with what you will. Whatever you will," he added with a wink.

Laughing, I lifted my shoulders and toyed with the folds of my skirt, "Should I go gentle on you, then?"

"Lord, I certainly hope not," he chuckled, looping his thumbs through his gun belt, "you be as rough as you like, Millie; I assure you I would _not_ mind."

"You know, just because I said Daisy's father wasn't _here_ doesn't mean he don't exist," I noted, flushing and turning my face from him to hide it.

"You wouldn't be quite so open to my flirtation if he were," Joshua replied, catching sight of Daisy and guiding us toward her, "least, I hope you wouldn't be."

"No, I wouldn't be," I agreed, though I caught myself and backtracked hastily, "though that doesn't mean I'm open to your flirtation."

"No it don't," he agreed, though the smirk on his face and the tone of his voice showed me that he didn't believe me in the slightest. He shouldn't have, either; I didn't believe my own words. "You don't seem too concerned, havin' shot that man. Would I be right in assuming he's not the first one you've put a bullet through?"

"You would."

"He deserved it, no doubt."

A tremor ran through my voice as I agreed, "Yes, he most certainly did. But I'd rather not like to talk about that just now, if that's alright with you."

"It's more than alright," he supplied, offering me a warm grin before tipping his head toward Daisy, Teddy, and Emma, where the man in black still stood, conversing with the pair of adults, "these those friends you mentioned, before all that went down in the saloon?"

"They are," I smiled, "Emma Cullen and Teddy Q. We're lookin' for help; seems like that man might be willing to join us. He hasn't left 'em yet."

"Lookin' for men to join you," Joshua repeated, a brow quirking in interest, his light, warm eyes sparkling, "well, I wouldn't be opposed to taggin' along, if it gets me more time with you. What exactly are you-"

He fell silent, his hazel eyes narrowing and a dark scowl crossing his handsome features; his gaze was on a pen, where a large, chestnut horse bucked and whinnied, a small, redheaded man watching it from the fence. Men inside the pen attempted to wrangle the horse and Joshua bristled at the sight.

"Millie, darlin', if you'd excuse me for just one moment," he murmured, his lip curling in irritation; he shot me a fleeting smile, assuring me he would return, before stalking toward the horse.

I watched him go for a moment, eyeing him rather appreciatively before I could berate myself; his departure afforded me a moment to approach Emma and the others and inquire about the man in black. Eyeing him curiously, I stepped around him, meeting his gaze, and fell beside the redhead.

She beamed excitedly, catching my arm and exclaiming, "Millie, this is Mr. Chisholm! He's goin' to help us fight Bogue!"

Extending my hand to the man, I introduced myself with a smile, "Mr. Chisholm, my name is Millie Evans. It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for your help; it means a great deal to us all."

"Likewise, Ms. Evans," he replied, giving my hand a firm shake, "call me Sam. I'm a warrant officer outta the state of Nebraska. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble for you an' your little girl. She's somethin' else, your Daisy is."

"Not in the slightest," I replied with a smile as Daisy stepped into my grasp and hugged my waist, asking after Joshua, "and she certainly is. Daisy, love, Joshua will be right back. He's askin' after a horse, I think. Maybe his own from the look of it."

Sam and Emma turned to look at him, the latter querying curiously, "Joshua who, Millie?"

I blushed lightly but nodded toward the tall cowboy who was currently staring disbelievingly down at the man, who was shorter even than me at full height. He had his fists on his hips, but he stiffened when the small man went for his gun.

"Oh dear," I muttered, catching Daisy's hand and making for the pair, "he shouldn't have touched his gun."

Sam followed, removing his hat from his head and querying sharply before any gunfire could begin, "How much for the horse?"

"Twenty-five," the small man replied quickly, his Irish accent thick, removing his hand and allowing Joshua to relax some, "for the horse and the saddle."

Before I could open my mouth, Sam beat me to it, offering to purchase both before turning to Joshua, "Got a proposition for you."

"Same proposition you were talkin' about, Millie?" Joshua queried curiously, gesturing toward the horse, "you _are_ givin' him back, right?"

"If you help us," Sam replied easily, tossing the bag of gold that Emma must have given him to the taller man, "offerin' us a lot of money to take care of some business back in Rose Creek. Care to join us?"

Joshua peered interestedly into the bag, surprise pulling at his face at the sum inside. I hoped Emma wouldn't reveal that I had supplied most of it, and, thankfully, the woman only eyed the exchange hopefully.

"That's a lotta gold," he whistled, tossing it back to Sam and glancing curiously down at me, "where'd the three of you get that sum?"

"The townspeople collected it," Emma answered hastily, her green eyes finding mine, shining brightly, "we had to. We got us a problem and we're serious about gettin' it handled. We'd be more than grateful if you'd join us, Mr. …?"

"Faraday," he replied distractedly, his brow furrowed low over his eyes as he stared down at me curiously, "how bad a problem is this?"

"Very bad," I admitted, fighting the urge to clasp my hands together before me pleadingly, "would you help us?"

He grinned, folding his arms across his chest and laughing, "I told you, darlin'; I wouldn't be opposed if it allows me more time with you. I'm in."

Diligently avoiding Teddy's and Emma's surprised glances, I beamed and squeezed his arm gratefully, "Thank you, Joshua. Really; it means the world."

He waved a flippant hand, though there was a pleased grin on his face, "It's nothin', trust me. I done a lot worse than helpin' a beautiful lady for a lot less. _Now_ , where's that _other_ pretty lady at? I do believe I owe her some candy."

Daisy slipped out from around me and latched onto Joshua's leg, hugging him tightly, "I'm right here! What kind of candy can I get?"

"Well, whatever you like!" he laughed cheerily, as though he hadn't almost gotten into a gunfight with man, or killed another not five minutes before. He ruffled her hair and offered me his elbow once more, "And I _am_ buyin' you that drink."

"Ms. Millie, we should get movin'," Teddy noted, wringing his hat in his hands, "we need to find more men. There might be others in this town that could-"

Joshua snorted and shook his head, "Nah, not in this place. Fulla cowards and snakes. Won't do you any good."

"I know of a few men, though it'd take some plannin' and askin' around," Sam continued for him; obviously the men fleeing from the saloon assured him that Joshua was more than likely right, "how soon you wanna head back to Rose Creek."

"Ideally as soon as we could," Emma replied, lips drawn to one side, her eyes falling continuously on Joshua and I, "but we have some time, I think. He won't be back for three weeks."

"He who?" Joshua dipped his head and queried softly in my ear. Fighting the urge to tremble as his breath ghosted across my neck, I tilted my head and replied, "Bartholomew Bogue."

He started at the name, but didn't back away from the prospect of coming with us. He simply clicked his tongue and blinked rapidly, "You weren't lyin', sayin' it was a very big problem. Well, that man's a no-good thief as far as I'm concerned; now, how 'bout that drink?"

"Emma, we should stay here the night," I noted suddenly, straying from Joshua's side for a moment and catching her arm. Dragging her and Teddy into a small powwow, my eyes on Daisy, who tugged impatiently on Joshua's hand. He laughed and knelt beside her, stating something and making her giggle wildly. "We should rent some rooms and allow Mr. Chisholm some time to figure out what other men may help us. We have the two of them now; no sense leaving until we have them all, right?"

"This isn't just a ploy to keep yourself closer to Mr. Faraday, is it?" she queried teasingly, though there was a glint in her eyes that told me she wasn't entirely joking, though it didn't perturb her like it might have some of the other townsfolk back home. "I do agree with you, though. But we don't have any-"

"I'll take care of that," I replied hastily, "if you could get two rooms; Teddy could have his own and you, Daisy, and I could share one. Hopefully they'll be ready to leave tomorrow and find the others."

"We couldn't do that, Ms. Millie," Teddy glanced at Emma for reassurance, "takin' your money. You've done enough for us already with what's in that bag…"

"It's alright," I replied assuredly, a grin escaping me before I could help myself, "now, if you'll excuse me."

Joshua extended his arm once more, tipping his hat and grinning slightly as I took it, "Alright, ladies, prepare to be dazzled."

He led us to the general store, where rows and rows of candies sat, much to Daisy's awe and delight. She gasped, hands to her mouth, and stared about her excitedly. She rounded on Joshua, her wide eyes pleading, as she queried softly, "Could I… maybe get two?"

"Daisy!" I scolded, hiding a smile behind my hand as Joshua chuckled loudly, assuring her, "Course you can, sweetie. Two of whatever you like. And grab somethin' for your mama."

"No, I- you're already getting me a drink, aren't you?" I queried, flustered.

He gave his arm a slight jolt, drawing me closer to him as he grinned broadly down at me, his tone low and alluring, " _And_ dinner, if you'll let me."

"Of course I'll let you," I replied, lifting a brow and smiling up at him, unwilling to take a step away from him despite the inappropriateness of our proximity to each other, "but you don't have to."

"I want to," he assured me, approaching the counter as Daisy pranced about with her treasures, three pieces of candy in her hands. She stood on the tips of her toes and dropped them on the countertop, grinning toothily up at the pair of us. He nodded approvingly at her selection, even asking her to go retrieve another for himself, claiming it looked too good to pass up.

He paid for the treats and Daisy popped one in her mouth, nodding dutifully as I told her to save the other for after supper. He then led us back outside, toward another bar, and I chewed on my lower lip. He certainly didn't have to buy _me_ dinner, let alone Daisy. He seemed unconcerned, though he had to be more than aware that she was still accompanying us.

"Millie, we got the rooms."

We paused a moment, turning to face a smiling Emma, her hands folded in front of her as she glanced between us, "They're also preparing dinner as we speak, so I thought I would take little Miss Daisy with me and get us a bite to eat."

I could've hugged her - and would, when I got the chance - but looked down at Daisy and queried, "What do you say, love? Want to go with Teddy and Ms. Emma?"

She looked between Joshua and I and Emma, a crease appearing between her brows before she nodded, grinning brightly. She gave Joshua a tight hug around the leg once more and grabbed my hand, kissing it, "Be good, Mama."

Laughing, I pressed a kiss to her curls, hugging her, "Of course I will, Daisy, love. And listen to Ms. Emma, alright? Don't leave her side and eat all your food and then you can have your other candy, okay?"

She nodded fervently before taking Emma's hand and waving at the pair of us. Emma offered me a knowing grin before leading Daisy away; before they left, though, my daughter wagged her finger at Joshua, a serious frown tugging at her mouth, "You take care of my mama, Mr. Faraday."

He drew his lips into his mouth to keep from smiling, pressing a hand over his heart and tipping his head, vowing, "Course I will, Miss Daisy. I'll take real good care of your mama."

The way the words fell from his mouth, with a slight, gravelly rumble and a sly curve of his lips, told me that he would indeed take _very_ good care of me if he had the chance.

And it was an incredibly tempting thought.

/

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